Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd is an Australian politician who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia and leader of the Australian Labor Party.
Political Figure
September 21, 1957
67
Kevin Rudd, an Australian politician and diplomat, was born on September 21, 1957, in Nambour, Queensland, Australia. He is known for his leadership as the 26th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 2007 to 2010 and again in 2013, as well as his role as the head of the Australian Labor Party. Rudd has been a strong advocate for humanitarian causes, working to address climate change, improve relations with China, and tackle global economic issues through his involvement in the G20.
Fluent in Mandarin, which he learned during his childhood in Malaysia and further studied in Taiwan, Rudd has used this skill to strengthen diplomatic ties with China. In 2008, he became the first Australian prime minister to address the Chinese people in their native language, earning him respect and recognition in the region.
Throughout his career, Rudd has achieved several notable accomplishments, including serving as the leader of the Australian Labor Party from 2006 to 2010 and again in 2013, being re-elected as the leader of the Labor Party and sworn in as prime minister for the second time in 2013, and advocating for media reform by criticizing News Corp, the media company owned by the Murdoch family. Since leaving politics in 2013, Rudd has written and spoken extensively on foreign relations with China and even attempted a brief return to political life in 2022 by expressing interest in contesting the federal Queensland seat of Fairfax.
Overall, Kevin Rudd is a prominent Australian figure known for his leadership, humanitarian advocacy, and efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with China.